News

Queen's hosts latest Global Challenge Debate on Human Rights

27 February, 2018

Queen's, in partnership with the British Academy, recently hosted the University's latest Global Challenge Debate on 'Human Rights in an Age of Trump and Brexit'.

At the Debate, held on Thursday 22 February, Professor Christopher McCrudden FBA and Baroness Onora O'Neill of Bengarve FBA discussed to what extent current political developments, particularly the election of President Trump and the results of the UK referendum on Brexit, challenge the scope and function of human rights in today's world.

The event – part of Queen's University's 'Global Challenge Debates Series' where world-leading experts discuss the challenges facing current global policy-making – saw the two leading thinkers consider the continuities, complexities, and transformations involved in what some have seen as a new era of western law and politics.

Pictured at the launch are (L-R): Mr Alun Evans, Chief Executive of the British Academy; Professor James McElnay, Acting President and Vice-Chancellor; Baroness Onora O'Neill FBA, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge; and Professor Christopher McCrudden, Professor of Human Rights and Equality Law at Queen's and William W Cook Global Law Professor at the University of Michigan Law School.

Internationally renowned human rights law expert, Professor McCrudden was educated at Queen's, Yale University and the University of Oxford. Professor McCrudden is also a practicing Barrister at Blackstone Chambers in London, and has been called to both the Northern Ireland Bar and the Bar of England and Wales.

Celebrated Philosopher, Baroness O'Neill was born in Northern Ireland, studied philosophy, psychology and physiology at Oxford University and completed a doctorate at Harvard University under the supervision of John Rawls. She was Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge from 1992 – 2006. In 2017 she was awarded the Norwegian Holberg Prize for outstanding contributions to research in the arts and humanities. The same year she was awarded the Berggruen Prize. Baroness O'Neill is a crossbench member of the House of Lords.